Dressage Canada is pleased to announce the rider/horse combinations selected to represent Canada at the CDIO3* Nations’ Cup in Wellington, FL, scheduled for April 11 – 14, 2013 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

Organized as a test event for the 2015 Pan American Games, the Wellington Nations Cup will see combined teams of Small Tour (Prix St. Georges / Intermediaire 1) and Big Tour (Grand Prix) combinations.

Based on submitted qualifying scores, the following Canadian teams were selected:

Canada Team 1
David Marcus / Don Kontes – Big Tour
Evi Strasser / Action Tyme – Big Tour
Christilot Boylen / Dio Mio – Small Tour
Brittany Fraser / All In – Small Tour

Canada Team 2
William Tubman / De La Rosa – Small Tour
Maya Markowski / Lumiere – Small Tour
Lindsay Kellock / Hunter Douglas Rhapsody – Small Tour

“This will be an interesting competition and a ‘test pilot’ so to speak for the proposed format of the 2015 Pan American Games,” said the Canadian Dressage Team chef d’équipe, Gina Smith. “Since the Pan American Games are a qualifier for the Olympic Games, the idea is to make the Pan American Games more viable and gradually get into Grand Prix competition from the existing Prix St Georges level.”

“The CDIO3* in Florida will have mixed teams of Grand Prix and Prix St. Georges horses. The Grand Prix tests will be weighted with an extra 3%. Some teams will send all Prix St. Georges level riders, some will have one at Grand Prix and three Prix St. Georges and some will have two Grand Prix and two Prix St. Georges. It will be interesting to see how it all works out and will give the organizers some good ideas on how to make things run smoothly at the 2015 Games in Toronto,” continued Smith.

The international judging panel at CDIO3* Wellington will include Canadian Joan Macartney (4*), Maribel Alonso (MEX 5*), Anne Gribbons (USA 5*), Peter Holler (GER 5*), Linda Zang (USA 5*) and Jayne Ayres (USA 4*).

For additional information on the Wellington Nations’ Cup at CDIO3* Wellington, please visit www.equesriansport.com