August 25, 2005 – Ottawa, Ontario – The Ottawa Fall Dressage Classic began Thursday with a win for Ariane Gauthier of St-Lazare, QC, in the international equestrian competition running August 25-28 at the Nepean National Equestrian Park in Ottawa, ON.

Gauthier, riding her own 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding Deimos, earned a score of 62.75% to top the 14-horse field in the national Prix St. Georges division. She narrowly edged out well-known equine veterinarian, Alan Young of Terra Cotta, ON, who took a break from his practice to show Stella, an eight-year-old Canadian Warmblood mare, to second place with a score of 62.667%.

In third place was Chris Sanders of Port Stanley, ON, who painted a pretty picture riding Van Gogh, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Gary and Jean Vander Ploeg.

Tara Dougans, 20, made the long trip from Delta, BC, to place fourth with the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Nashua. Coming from the opposite coast was Halifax’s Cheryl Meisner who rounded out the top five riding Porto Rico, an eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Lobster Point Farms, also of Halifax.

In the national Grand Prix division, Nancy MacLachlan of Terra Cotta, ON, took top honours with Ariston, edging out 2004 Athens Olympian Belinda Trussell of Stouffville, ON, who placed second with Blue Hors Testarosa and 1996 Atlanta Olympian, Tom Dvorak of Hillsburgh, ON, who was third with Westside Lady.

Over 200 of Canada’s top dressage athletes have traveled to the Nation’s Capital to compete in the CDI3* Ottawa Fall Dressage Classic. Sanctioned by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), the competition is also hosting the Dressage Canada National Championships for Pony, Junior and Young Riders’, the Canadian FEI Young Horse Finals, and a national show sanctioned by Equine Canada and the United States Equestrian Federation.

Often described as ‘ballet on horseback’, dressage is comparable to figure skating in that athletes perform required technical movements before a panel of judges. On Sunday, the crowd-pleasing Musical Freestyles see riders choreograph required movements to the music of their choice, giving the illusion of dancing.

The CDI3*/Y/J/P Ottawa Fall Dressage Classic is the third and final FEI-sanctioned competition to be hosted in Canada this year by Ottawa’s own Cara Whitham and her company, Equivents, Inc. For more information, including full results, please visit www.equivents.com.

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Name Hometown Horse Score
1. Ariane Gauthier St-Lazare, QC Deimos 62.750%
2. Alan Young Terra Cotta, ON Stella 62.667%
3. Chris Sanders Port Stanley, ON Van Gogh 61.583%
4. Tara Dougans Delta, BC Nashua 61.417%
5. Cheryl Meisner Blandford, NS Porto Rico 61.333%