May 20, 2005 – Ottawa, Ontario – Ottawa-area equestrian athletes continued to dominate at the CDI*** Ottawa Spring Classic Dressage Show running May 19-22 at the Nepean National Equestrian Park in Ottawa, ON.

Brigitte Lalonde of Navan, ON, scored a hat trick by being the top-placed amateur competitor in three classes. After winning the Second Level, Test 2, with a score of 61.892% on Thursday, Lalonde returned to the ring on Friday to claim the First Level, Test 2, with a score of 62.059% and Second Level, Test 3, with 61.489%. Her partner is Shamrock, a six-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood gelding by Fleming that she purchased almost three years ago.

“I bought him in September of 2002 as a fortieth birthday gift to myself – he was my mid-life crisis,” laughed Lalonde, who rode briefly as a child, then returned to the sport at age 28. “Shamrock is the first horse I have ever owned. He is very easy-going and he wants to please you. He never says no.”

Lalonde, who is the Coordinator of Primary Care Paramedic Program at La Cité Collègiale, hopes to ride Shamrock all the way to the Grand Prix divisions, the same level that the Olympics are held at.

Friday’s featured class at the CDI*** Ottawa Spring Classic Dressage Show was the Prix St. Georges competition. Olympian Tom Dvorak of Hillsburgh, ON, emerged the winner, posting an impressive score of 68.55% riding West Side Lady, a nine-year-old black Hannoverian mare owned by Susan Platz.

Second place went to Diane Creech of Caistor Centre, ON, located near Hamilton. Creech earned a score of 65.75% riding Wiona, Doug Leatherdale’s eight-year-old chestnut Hannoverian mare by Weltmeyer. Creech has been the mare’s only rider, making her results all the more rewarding.

“I was happy because Wiona really enjoyed what she was doing, it didn’t feel like work,” noted Creech. “She’s not easy to ride, she has a strong personality, but she was having fun in the ring.”

Third place was claimed by Vincent Carovillano of London, ON, riding Cancion while local competitor, Susanne Dutt-Roth of Merrickville, ON, rode her own Canadian Sport Horse stallion, Rheirattack, to a fourth place finish with a score of 65.30%. Edging out her mother, Tina Busse placed fifth overall riding Amicelli while Ute Busse was forced into sixth place riding her own Dover.

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.