July 5, 2006 – Blainville, Quebec – There is something truly magical about the 'Freestyle Extravaganza' held on Saturday night to close out the annual CDI3* Blainville Dressage International.

 

Having just celebrated its eighth year, Blainville hosts the longest running World Cup Qualifying dressage competition in all of Canada and is one of the sport's greatest success stories (it also hosts one of the longest-running show jumping qualifiers as well, with the CSI-W Blainville now in its 18th year).  Well-supported since its inception, this year's event attracted more than 240 horses, with a record number of entries in the advanced level - 25 horses started the CDI division of Prix St. Georges while an additional 21 horses participated in the national division.

 

Not only does the show provide four competition rings, $20,000 in prize money, and access to the best judges in the world - two members of the CDI panel will officiate at the upcoming World Equestrian Games in Aachen - but it is the 'Freestyle Extravaganza' that makes the week so special for those competitors lucky enough to qualify.  This year, the top 15 riders were invited to contest the Intermediaire Freestyle while eight took on the Grand Prix Freestyle.

 

The ring is set up with grandstands accommodating 1,400 spectators along one long side, while two VIP tents, one running the length of the other long side and one situated on the short side, sees another 1,200 guests enjoy a gourmet eight-course dinner, complete with wine and port.

 

The party atmosphere provides an electric atmosphere for the horses, as does competing under the lights in front of so many spectators.  In the Intermediaire, one horse refused to go anywhere near the ring, forcing the rider to withdraw.  However, once the music starts, horses and riders visibly relax, tuning out everything except the music that, in most cases, they know so well.

 

The performances are met with great appreciation from the crowd, the large majority of whom are locals that, while not necessarily educated in dressage, have grown to appreciate having an international equestrian venue, the Blainville Equestrian Park, in the midst of their community.

 

The organizing committee, led by President Jean-Pierre Arvisais and Manager Louise Thibault, are responsible for not only having a vision of what the sport could be, but in making it a reality.  Jean-Pierre's motivation in creating the 'Freestyle Extravaganza' stemmed from a simple reasoning.  "If people like horses and people like music, it stands to reason that they will like watching horses perform to music," he told me back when the show was in its infancy.

 

His common sense approach has not only seen the event succeed, but grow year after year.  The VIP tables are sold out well in advance of the competition, and the general admission tickets, priced at $15 each, are always sold out by show time, usually much sooner if good weather is forecast.

 

This year, the crowds had already witnessed Andrea Bresee and her Canadian-bred mare, Raffles, win the Intermediaire Freestyle performing to music entitled 'Middle Earth Quest of the Dream Warrior'.  Compiled by freestyle designer Karen Robinson of Applause Dressage, the music highlights a very technical program, including tempi changes on a half-circle.

 

For entertainment between the Intermediaire and Grand Prix Freestyles, 'The Flying Frenchman' who flew in from Paris to perform, lit up the crowd.  Two jumps from the grand prix field were brought into the dressage arena, and the two brothers jumped them on foot.  Every time a jump went up in height, a piece of clothing was removed!  This progressed with enthusiastic crowd involvement until the jumps stood at 1.70m and the Flying Frenchman stood in their briefs!  A family event afterall, the boys provided great amusement, and their athletic abilities certainly amazed the crowds.

 

This year, Mother Nature was not as cooperative as she had been in the past, and rain began to fall just before the start of the Grand Prix Freestyles.  First in, Julia Vysniauskus who now represents her family's native Lithuania in competition, rode in the heaviest of the downpour, but was foot perfect throughout.  Her 14-year-old Slovenian-bred gelding, Syntax, never faltered throughout her clever and extremely technical program, and one of the judges even had her to win.  Her overall score of 70.875% would prove to be good enough for second place, a thrilling finish for the 24-year-old.

 

The rider the crowd was waiting to see would prove to be unbeatable.  Evi Strasser, who resides just north of Blainville, was back to defend her title.  Well-known for her showmanship, Evi has nerves of steel and riding for a crowd only makes her perform better.  Riding to emotional and epic music from Disney's 'The Lion King', Evi and her Oldenburg gelding, Quantum Tyme, put on a great show, earning a final score of 73.675%.  It was a warm send-off, as she and Quantum will depart for Germany where they will compete for Canada at the World Equestrian Games.

 

Evi bought the horse from an auction catalogue, having someone in attendance do her bidding, and has done all of the training herself.  They successfully represented Canada at both 2000 and 2001 FEI World Young Horse Breeding Championships, and were members of the Silver Medal Team at the 2003 Pan American Games.  In 2005, they rode in the World Cup Final in Las Vegas.  Evi, who competed at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics with Lavinia, will be making her WEG debut.

 

It wasn't over just yet for the crowds that were ignoring the rain in Blainville.  The Blainville Pony Club, another ingenious idea initiated by Jean-Pierre, kept the crowd entertained by performing their musical ride or 'carousel'.  Ten children, all dressed in costume, amused the audience while the small ponies delighted onlookers with their antics.

 

Then came the presentations, and the thunderous applause for Evi, the hometown heroine.  Evi took no less than three victory gallops, treating the crowds to a world-class passage.  In true fairy tale fashion, Evi was crowned the queen of Blainville!

 

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