May 19, 2005 – Ottawa, Ontario – The CDI*** Ottawa Spring Classic Dressage Show opened on Thursday at the Nepean National Equestrian Park with Summer McEwan and Ottawa’s own Kathryn Yardley battling it out for top spot in the Prix St. Georges competition.

In the end, it was McEwan who prevailed, claiming victory with a score of 64.50% riding Frimella while Yardley settled for second, earning a score of 62.75%. McEwan, who lives just outside of Guelph in Moffat, ON, was riding Frimella, a 13-year-old bay Danish Warmblood mare that was imported from Germany in 2001.

“She can be difficult but, in the last year, she has settled into her work and actually now enjoys competing,” noted McEwan, 23, who trains with World Championship veteran, Nancy MacLachlan. “We had a very nice extended trot, and she really relaxed in the ring. As a dressage rider, you always strive for better, but I am happy with the way things went, especially considering that this is her first show in almost a year.”

McEwan represented Canada at the North American Young Riders’ Championship in 2002, one year before Yardley did the same riding Boxberger Tendenz, a 17-year-old grey Trakehner mare.

“Honestly, I was a little bit surprised,” noted Yardley about her second-place finish. “We had a tough warm-up on Wednesday, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. My performance had elements of good and bad, but overall, I was happy.”

“It is so nice to have an international competition here in Ottawa, and it is just ten minutes from my house,” continued Yardley, 21, who just completed her third year of studies at the University of Ottawa.

Yardley’s coach, Simone Williams of Navan, ON, also enjoyed success on Thursday by claiming victory in the Second Level test. Williams, who represented Canada at the 1999 Pan American Games, earned a score of 65.526% riding Wunder Ein, her seven-year-old Hannoverian gelding.

Another local competitor in the winner’s circle was Gina Smith of Brockville, ON, who won the Third Level competition with a score of 67.222% riding Encore. Smith, an Olympic Bronze Medallist at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, also represented Canada at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Her Atlanta Olympic teammate, Evi Strasser of Ste-Adele, QC, claimed the Five-Year-Old Young Horse division riding Romance Tyme and also placed second in the Six-Year-Old Young Horse division riding Foto Tyme. The Six-Year-Old Young Horse class was won by Jacqueline Brooks of Mount Albert, ON, riding Balmoral.

The CDI3*/CDIY/CDIJ Ottawa Spring Classic, Presented by Marismas Sport Horses, is running May 19-22 at the Nepean National Equestrian Park, located at the Moodie Drive exit of the 417 highway. Admission is free.

For more information on the CDI*** Ottawa Spring Dressage Classic, including results, please visit www.equivents.com.

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