August 26, 2005 – Ottawa, Ontario – Andrea Bresee of Brockville, ON, was the big winner on Friday at the CDI3* Ottawa Fall Dressage Classic running August 25-28 at the Nepean National Equestrian Park in Ottawa, ON.

Bresee claimed the CDI Prix St. Georges with a score of 68.250% riding Raffles, an 11-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare owned in partnership by Faith Berghuis and 1988 Olympic Team Bronze Medalist, Gina Smith. Raffles was originally purchased as a four-year-old for Bresee to ride, and she has done all of the training herself.

Cheryl Meisner, who has traveled from Blandford, NS, to compete in the international event, was the runner-up with a score of 67.917% riding Paganini. An eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion by Havidoff, Paganini was purchased last October for Meisner to ride by Halifax’s Lobster Point Farms.

“It was the best that Paganini has ever performed in the show ring, his pirouettes were very strong,” said Meisner. “I was thrilled with his performance, and I am thrilled with the show. I think it is a beautiful facility and the competition is very well-run.”

At only 23 years of age, Meisner is a newcomer to the international scene, but she is not without her support system during her first trip to the Nepean National Equestrian Park – her grandmother accompanied her to Ottawa. On Sunday, Meisner will be paying homage to her Nova Scotia roots as she performs her Freestyle, where riders choreograph required movement to the music of their choice, to traditional bagpipes and fiddles.

In third place was Dominique Culham of Caledon East, ON, who earned a score of 67.417% riding Matisse, her 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. Tina Busse of Lakefield, ON, was fourth riding Amicelli, a nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding, while Gillian Sutherland of Unionville, ON, rounded out the top five with Great Tyme, an athletic six-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Karen Soupcoff.

In the Intermediaire II, Jacqueline Brooks of Mount Albert, ON, took top honours riding her 2003 Pan American Games Team Silver Medal partner, Gran Gesto, to edge Australian competitor, Karin Davis, who was aboard the 20-year-old Australian thoroughbred gelding, Mighty Heights.

Saturday’s featured event is the Grand Prix, the same level at which the Olympics are contested. The Grand Prix, beginning at 11:30 a.m., promises great competition as Canadian Olympian Evi Strasser of Ste-Adele, QC, has remained undefeated all season with Quantum Tyme.


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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