Wellington, Fla. – The Adequan® U.S. Para Dressage Team ended the winter season with a dominant win over their Canadian opponents in the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) 9 CPEDI3* on March 8-9. Led by Chef d’Equipe Michel Assouline, the team of David Botana, Rebecca Hart, Kate Shoemaker, and Roxanne Trunnell earned a cumulative score of 441.488, largely part to career high scores. As a result, their effort led to an all-time high team score for the U.S. Canada ended with a total score of 408.488.
“We have a new upcoming [para-athlete, David Botana], who excelled and improved from the last show. He averaged a 72 [percent] in the two tests. For a young combination, it’s very exciting. Combining [both tests], this is our best ever team score; everything [is improving],” said a pleased Assouline. “[Roxanne] is growing more and more with the horse, the expression is better, the accuracy, all the components of high-scoring. I’m also really pleased with [the scores] from Kate.”
On Friday, Grade I para-athletes Trunnell and Botanta got the U.S. team off to a solid start with the FEI Team tests, counting 50% toward the team score. Trunnell and Dolton, Karin Flint’s six-year-old Hanoverian gelding, earned a score of 75.060%. This was a FEI Grade I Team Test career high score for them, surpassing the score they set at the AGDF CPEDI3* in January.
“His stretch downs were really smooth. We’ve been working on relaxation and letting him [go for it]. He felt more comfortable [than in the January CPEDI], like he’s done this for a very long time,” said Trunnell, following their Team Test.
Botana, who made his first appearance on a U.S. team, and Lord Locksley, Margaret Stevens's 18-year-old Trakehner Grand Prix/Breeding stallion, followed Trunnell in the Grade I Team Test standings with a score of 72.262%. Their score also improved from the January CPEDI. The 16-year-old newcomer competes with VATER Syndrome and his drive to compete led him to para dressage. Botana could not be more proud of his first team event performance.
“This is a whole new level of riding. Locksley is great; he has a big walk…I’m blown away with how far we’ve come, and trusting your horse matters. To be comfortable between horse and rider is such a gift. We finally have it, and it’s showing in the scores,” said Botana. “When they announced that I was going to be on the team, I was overjoyed. For being on the scene for a relatively short amount of time, and to be on a team with athletes that have gone to the Paralympics and World Equestrian Games, it’s a huge honor. To stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them, it’s awesome. I’m so happy.”
Hart and El Corona Texel, Rowan O’Reilly’s nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, completed the FEI Grade III Test and earned a score of 65.343%. Shoemaker and Solitaer 40, her 12-year-old Hanoverian stallion, ended the day with a score of 72.000%.The U.S. team headed into Saturday’s FEI Individual Tests with a steady lead over Canada with a cumulative score of 219.322.
On Saturday, competition shifted to the FEI Individual Tests, counting 50% toward the overall team score. Grade I combinations Botana and Lord Locksley and Trunnell and Dolton built on Friday’s success with quality tests. Scoring a 72.381%, Botana and Lord Locksley again improved upon their January Team Test results. Trunnell and Dolton followed suit with a 75.476%, another personal best for them in the FEI Individual Test.
Hart and El Corona Texel followed with the FEI Grade III Individual Test, improving on Friday’s marks with a score of 66.961%. Shoemaker and Solitaer 40 ended the competition on a strong note for the U.S. Team. They earned a 74.309%, a personal best for them in the Grade IV Individual Test.
“I didn’t get as much out of my ride [on Friday] as I wanted, and I wasn’t 100 percent sure why. Today, I changed the way I went about my plan, and determined that it was me,” said Shoemaker. “It was about having patience in my ride, both in the warm-up and the test, and having trust that he was going to do what I asked him, that I didn’t need to micromanage him. It really worked out. Now that we’re in our fifth full season competing together, I owe it to Soli to trust him. He showed me today that I really can, despite the flopping tents and the wind, so I was very pleased with it.”
The AGDF 9 CPEDI3* will conclude on Sunday with all U.S. combinations competing as individuals in their respective Freestyles.
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The USEF International High Performance Programs are generously supported by the USET Foundation, USOC, and USEF Sponsors and Members.