Nicole Shinton of Uxbridge, ON, and Wallentstein, (pictured here warming up), made their competitive debut at the Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge I held January 9-10 in Wellington, FL, earning a score of 68.40% in the Intermediaire II.

January 11, 2010 – Wellington, Florida – Canada’s Nicole Shinton successfully debuted her new mount, Wallenstein, at the Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge I held from January 9-10 at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL.

Shinton of Uxbridge, ON, purchased Wallenstein, an 11-year-old Swedish Warmblood by Warsteiner, this past fall in Denmark. Although the leggy chestnut gelding stands a soaring 17.3hh, Shinton has adjusted quickly to his size. In their debut together in the FEI Test of Choice, Shinton and Wallenstein performed the Intermediaire II test, earning a score of 68.40% from judge Gary Rockwell.

Shinton’s score of 68.40% placed her third behind fellow Canadian Cheryl Meisner, who earned 69.00% for her FEI Test of Choice performance on Paganini, and 2003 Pan Am Games Team Gold Medalists Pierre St. Jacques and Lucky Tiger who earned 68.70%.

“The scores were really close, and to place third behind such accomplished competitors as Cheryl and Pierre was a real thrill,” said Shinton, a former eventing rider who has recently switched her focus to dressage. “Wallenstein put in a super test. It was pretty exciting for our first show together!”

In addition to her successful debut with Wallenstein, Shinton also won the Adult Amateur Prix St. Georges on Sunday riding GB Marko with a score of 62.368%. GB Marko is a 14-year-old chestnut Dutch Warmblood gelding that Shinton began showing in 2008.

Shinton is based in Florida during the winter season and will continue to compete through to April. As an event rider, Shinton was named the 2004 Adult Amateur Intermediate Rider of the Year by the United States Eventing Association, a remarkable feat for a Canadian in such a highly competitive division. Shinton was also named to the 2005 Canadian Eventing Team Long List with two horses, Pamela and The Grey Pony, before a rotational fall in 2007 forced Shinton to change her focus from eventing to dressage.

Shinton, 36, and her husband, Alan, own Greenbrier Farms, a 160 acre eventing facility in Uxbridge, ON.