Canadian Dressage Youth Win on the West Coast

Ottawa, Ontario—The future of Canadian dressage is in good hands following results at recent US West Coast CDI competitions. Three of our country’s junior and young riders, Esmee Ingham, 18, Jennifer Wood, 20, and Monica Houweling, 17, kept Canada’s name at the top of the scoreboard in two separate events.

At the CDI 3* YJ Golden State Dressage Festival, held April 9–11, in Rancho Murieta, CA, Ingham of West Vancouver, BC, and her Canadian-bred 14-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding, Norseman, handily won the FEI Junior Team Test with a score of 66.270%. This was 4% higher than their closest competitor. The duo, who are in their second season of FEI Junior level competition, then finished second in the FEI Junior Individual Test, and rounded out the competition by winning the FEI Junior Freestyle by more than 5%, scoring 69.950%.

“Norseman was so well behaved, and I am so pleased with him,” said Ingham, who is coached by Canadian Grand Prix rider Wendy Christoff. “Our goal this season is to qualify for both the Canadian National and North American Junior and Young Rider Championships.”

The international judging panel at the CDI3* Golden State Dressage Festival included Linda Zang (FEI O—USA), Mariette Withages (FEI O¬¬¬—BEL), Elizabeth McMullen (FEI O—CAN), Bernard Maurel (FEI O—FRA) and Mercedes Campdera Alatorre (FEI I—MEX).

Earlier in the month, at CDI 3* YJ Festival of the Horse, in Burbank, CA, April 1–3, Wood of Nanoose Bay, BC, rode Mister, her 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, to third place in both the FEI Young Riders Team and Individual tests. The pair finished off the show with a win in the FEI Young Riders Freestyle, scoring 67.333%.

Houweling of Delta, BC, made a clean sweep of the FEI Junior division winning the Junior Team, Individual and Freestyle (65.750%) tests riding her horse Stentano, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.

The judging panel for the CDI3* Festival of the Horse included Linda Zang (FEI O—USA), Steven Clarke (FEI O—GBR), Lorraine McDonald (FEI I—CAN), Brenda Minor (FEI C—CAN) and Eddy De Wolff Van Westerrode (FEI I—NED).