May 21, 2005 – Ottawa, Ontario – The Grand Prix competition attracted spectators despite the rain at the CDI*** Ottawa Spring Classic Dressage Show running May 19-22 at the Nepean National Equestrian Park in Ottawa, ON.

Olympian Evi Strasser of Ste-Adele, QC, led the field, earning a score of 68.083% for her performance aboard Quantum Tyme, her 10-year-old chestnut Oldenburg gelding. Strasser’s Silver Medal teammate at the 2003 Pan American Games, Jacqueline Brooks of Mount Albert, ON, settled for second with a score of 65.833% riding Gran Gesto, a 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Anne Welch and Brinc Ltd. Brooks won the Intermediaire II on Friday with a score of 66.098%.

“He was excellent,” said Brooks, who spent the winter competing on the highly competitive Florida circuit. “Gran Gesto has had a nice break since Florida, and all of the hard work we did down there seems to be paying off. He feels very comfortable with all of the work required at the Grand Prix level.”

Nancy MacLachlan, a 1998 World Championship competitor, placed third with a score of 62.083% riding Ariston, her nine-year-old Ukrainian Warmblood gelding.

In the Intermediaire I competition, one level below the Olympic level of Grand Prix, Tom Dvorak of Hillsburgh, ON, continued to dominate the 19-horse starting field. After winning the Prix St. Georges on Friday riding West Side Lady, Dvorak returned to the competition arena to earn a score of 67.80% and claim his second victory in two days. Imported from Germany by Augustine Walch of W. Charlot Farms, West Side Lady is a nine-year-old black Hannoverian mare owned by Susan Platz. Dvorak also took fourth position with a score of 64.90%% riding Beaumarchais, Susan Holden’s 10-year-old Hannoverian gelding.

“It is our first show of the year so I am thrilled,” noted Dvorak, who competed at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. “I also won the Five-Year-Old class this morning with Fling, a horse I bought in Germany two years ago. This was the first competition of his career, so I couldn’t be happier.”

Settling for second as she had one day earlier in the Prix St. Georges, Diane Creech of Caistor Centre, ON, earned a score of 66.90% from the panel of five international judges. Creech was riding Wiona, Doug Leatherdale’s eight-year-old chestnut Hannoverian mare by Weltmeyer.

Taking third place was 24-year-old Tina Busse of Lakefield, ON, who earned a score of 65.10% riding the nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding, Amicelli. Ottawa-are competitor Susanne Dutt-Roth of Merrickville, ON, rode her own Canadian Sport Horse stallion, Rheirattack, to a fifth place finish with a score of 64.30%.

The CDI3*/CDIY/CDIJ Ottawa Spring Classic, Presented by Marismas Sport Horses, concludes on Sunday, May 22, with the popular Freestyle performances where riders choreograph required movements to the music of their choice. Admission is free at the Nepean National Equestrian Park, located at the Moodie Drive exit of the 417 Highway. For more information on the CDI*** Ottawa Spring Dressage Classic, including results, please visit www.equivents.com.

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