Chilly as the southerly was, there was something special in the air at this year’s Dressage Nationals. With Olympic selection credentials at stake, there was never any doubt that the riding and the experience of horses and riders was going to shine.

And shine they did as combinations from Novice to Grand Prix produced high scores across the board at the 2023 Stable Ground Australian Dressage Championships at Boneo Park.

What’s more, the judging shined as well! There has at times been the view that Australian judges have been a little conservative with their marks. When you compare competitors here to the European tests, I believe our judges have perhaps been a little low in their marks with fields filled with quality horses that could have scored really high percentages.

The CDI-W at the Nationals was going to be a very interesting scenario. With three international judges, Eduard de Wolff van Westerrode of the Netherlands, Helen Hughes-Keen of New Zealand, and Anne Prain of France, in association with top Australian international judges Jane Ventura and Maria Schwennesen, the experience and open-eyed attitude of all these judges saw riders, coaches and owners very keen for their opinions.

Of course, with the Paris Olympics in the headlights and several young horses coming up to the ranks in the Grand Prix, it was going to be a competitive five days from 12-15 October.

Boneo Park put on the most wonderful CDI event, despite the changing and challenging weather the Mornington Peninsula south of Melbourne can throw up – very cold, windy and wet across four of the five days. It wasn’t conducive to happy, fun times, but conducive to riders doing their very best no matter what. When the going gets tough, the tough get going, as they say.

In addition to the CDI-W, there was a CDI-P Pony, CDI-J Junior, CDI-Y Young Rider and CDI-Under 25, as well at CPEDI2* and CPEDI3* Para Dressage classes, and national-level classes from Novice to Advanced. The CPEDI3* in particular was full of quality and outstanding riding, with some big scores and great qualifying percentages putting our para team very highly rated yet again for the coming Paralympics.

QUALITY FIELD IN THE CDI-W

Of course, of all the international-level competitions, it was the CDI-W that gained the most focus. There was a quality field of 16 horses here given that FEI MERs were being handed out for performances of 67%+ in the Grand Prix to count towards qualifying for the Olympics in Paris, as well as a qualifying performance to compete at the World Cup final (a CDI-W being a World Cup series leg).

To add extra international flavour to this competition, Melissa Galloway had travelled from New Zealand with her Grand Prix horse Windermere J’Obei W, as well as a Small Tour horse. Melissa recently spent some time training with Anne van Olst in the Netherlands, shoulder to shoulder with Lottie Fry, who trains out of the same barn. J’Obei was bred by David Woolley, who interestingly also bred Gaylene Lennard’s Jax Johnson; both horses competed at the World Championships in Denmark last year.

Melissa and J’Obei won the CDI-W Grand Prix with a great score of 73.152%. Since returning from Europe, this horse appears to have absorbed all the training and is more relaxed in the suppleness and flexibility within the paces and all the lateral work. Despite the obnoxious weather, it was a great win.

Mary Hanna, a six-time Olympian for Australia (Atlanta with Mosaic, Sydney and Athens with Limbo, London with Sancette, Rio with Boogie Woogie and Tokyo with Calanta) and six-time World Championship representative for Australia, rode her new horse Ivanhoe, a 10-year-old gelding (Desperado x Jazz) imported from Europe through Patrik Kittel, who is now training Mary again. Mary and Ivanhoe were not far behind the very experienced Melissa and J’Obei W, scoring 72.413% and in fact winning with one judge. Ivanhoe has a great ability for piaffe and passage, and all his other work is in great balance and has a generous and wonderful looking attitude.

“Melissa and J’Obei won the
CDI-W Grand Prix with a
great score of 73.152%.”

“These positive marks were
genuine and honest…
a real lift to everyone involved.”

In third place was Australian Jessica Dertell on Cennin with 71.587%, again this horse winning with one judge to show you just how close the competition was. Cennin is a striking Dutch-bred stallion with plenty of expression in front with fluent and regular paces. He knows his work inside out and rarely makes a mistake. Jess looks great on this bold horse and manages him well. At times perhaps he could show a little more self-carriage and a little more suppleness, but nonetheless a very polished performance.

David McKinnon on Forlan was in fourth place. This upstanding and enthusiastic chestnut gelding by Jazz is owned by Carol and Sandy Oatley and was found for them by their daughter Lyndal in Germany. He’s a sensitive and very athletic soul and with David they have been working together simply on confidence between the two of them. In the competition arena, it was obvious that this confidence is at its highest ever so far. There is no question that there is plenty of petrol in the tank and he looks very solid now in all the movements, with the piaffe starting to become better balanced and rhythmic. Still, 70.804% and a confident start for his first ever CDI test. A very interesting horse, and a very interesting combination with great empathy and harmony between them.

In fifth place, Alexis Hellyer and the really talented young mare Daenarys by De Niro; 67.218% for this young, inexperienced horse was outstanding. Still plenty of ability, and still yet to develop the strength to carry consistently with expression. With FEI MER scores for all these horses (of which they will need to achieve two in the qualifying period), it is an exciting time for Australian dressage.

It is without doubt that the scores and the enthusiasm from the judges through these marks is putting Australia (and New Zealand) in contention for being up there with many good countries in the world in the sport of dressage now. These positive marks were genuine and honest, and reflect the improvement in our sport. This has been a real lift to everyone involved – from riders, owners and coaches who have trained and work tirelessly over the years to see this recognition of improvement.

BIG SCORES IN THE GP FREESTYLE

It was the CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle competition that was the highlight of this event. Melissa Galloway, Dave McKinnon and young Charlotte Phillips on CP Dresden, all produced personal best scores. Melissa scored an amazing 79.865%, winning with all judges and three scoring her over 80%. It was an amazingly beautiful and harmonious test without a mistake in sight. The harmony and the confidence that these two show is exemplary.

On asking Melissa about her two wins, she says she was happy with the Grand Prix, despite the weather. “It was really like being at home!” she laughs. “I was a tad off my game as Anne was to warm me up via Zoom, but the connection was not so great, and we had to abandon that. So, I wasted some precious time and it was far from the perfect mental preparation, but I have so much faith in Joey that all was good.

“It was nearly a PB, but not quite! I guess I wasn’t really as ‘in the zone’ as I could have been, but it’s about getting on with things and making the most of what you have. I was not disappointed at all, but rather a little stressed when my warm-up didn’t go to plan.”

Melissa says that on returning from her whirlwind ten months with Anne van Olst, it was time to take a break and let her learnings sink in. “I learnt so much and worked mentally hard as well, as did Joey. We came home and both had a much-needed break. When we started training again, we realised the time off to regroup, unwind and take on all we had learnt was of great benefit. I had time to mull all the exercises around over the break, and felt I then started off again with a better understanding and more instinctive approach.

“Joey is now supremely confident in the competition arena and so much better in his ability to concentrate and not overthink things. It has been so wonderful to be home in my own arena and piece together all I learnt with Anne in my own constructive way. They don’t seem like raw or new ideas now, instead they have become second nature, with the suppleness and ease getting better all the time.”

Melissa explains that at home, 13-year-old Joey gets arena work four days per week, with two days out hacking and then a day off. “The most fabulous thing with Joey is that he is always ready to have a go at any new or old exercise. He puts his heart and soul into each day’s training and is always ready, asking ‘what’s next?’ He is such a cool character yet sensitive. He is a favourite!

“Anne was able to watch the live stream of the [Australian Dressage Championships] Grand Prix, and even though she was again not able to warm us up for the Freestyle, we spoke about what she thought could have been a little bit better and shared great ideas for the warm-up. Really it was not about any of the movements; it was simply that we needed to focus on the throughness, collection and uphill feeling.

“This was the first time that I had ridden this Freestyle in competition. We decided on music that was appropriate to all ages, and with my father being a bit of a muso and rock fan, Tina Turner was simply the best! It had a great feel, and our degree of difficulty was a 10; we managed to gain the marks for all the elements and difficult combinations.

“When I heard the scores [for the CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle] I was absolutely rapt, as we had all joked… well not really… that the goal was to get some scores of 80%. To have achieved this goal [the pair scored over 80% with three judges], that we believed could be a reality, was just the icing on the cake. We will now go home and continue training via Zoom lessons with Anne and have the [2023 FEI Pacific League World Cup Final] at Takapoto Estate, and then we plan to head back to Anne’s in February.

“I have to also say that it takes a team of great friends and mentors to allow me the privilege to compete as we did, coming to Australia to ride. It was also a great buzz and exciting to have David Woolley arrive to support and watch the horse he bred and adores. David also came to Denmark for the 2022 FEI World Championships, so New Zealand to Australia was not such a distance… but what an effort and it was so amazing to get those scores and that win against a top and talented group with him there as well.”

‘A VERY SPECIAL SOUL’

Another stand-out performance in the CDI-W Grand Prix Freestlye was Mary Hanna, who in one of her first Freestyles on Ivanhoe scored 76.61%, with one judge scoring 78.8%. Truly fabulous scores and absolutely deserved. If you compare the scores to horses overseas, it really lifts the heart of every Australian dressage rider. These scores really represent the ability and the good training that was shown. The positivity amongst all at the competition to see this recognition from a seriously talented and experienced international judges panel certainly made every rider and coach and owner smile with pride that their hard and continuous work has paid off.

Mary Hanna was very pleased with the scores and for the fact that Ivanhoe was unruffled by the atmosphere. “Ivanhoe is a very special soul and has come into my life at the most perfect time. He has an attitude of no other horse I have had – except perhaps Mosaic all those years ago – yet with way more athletic and upstanding talent. He is so concentrated on his job at hand. Loudspeakers, flags flapping, spooky arena surrounds, he just takes it all in and gets on with our job at hand. He is simply adorable to say the least. His breeding incorporates a bit of the Jazz lineage and that is a line I so like. He can make all the Grand Prix movements with consummate ease, especially the piaffe and passage tour and that’s where a lot of marks in this test lay! Training again with Patrik Kittel is a real bonus as he understands us both so well.”

Mary recognises that people may well ask how she’s managed to improve her marks since their last CDI in Brisbane only a short while ago. “It’s not about training the movements now; it’s all about improving the basics, the throughness and the adjustability,” she explains. “It’s about creating calculated and understandable reactions that are sharp and full of understanding and confidence, and it is this improvement in the basic throughness that allows the expression to show itself. The Freestyle was a real buzz for me yet I know there are few areas I need to tidy up… but that’s all about repetition and confidence in the music and the test.

“Ivanhoe only arrived in Australia in late December last year and when he hit our shores, he’d had one Inter II start for 65%. I truly adore this horse on the inside and the outside and to gain scores as he has at the CDI-W at the Australian National Championships was so pleasing as they fitted where we thought we were and that is such a bonus. Exciting times for me and this great horse and we intend on competing at the awesome Willinga Park competition and then the CDI at Dressage With The Stars. Then, all things equal, we want to head to Europe to train with Patrik Kittel and see what happens, and what will be will be… but all I can say is I am enjoying the ride like never before and it excites me. He is a special horse, and it takes a team of good people around you to support the many facets of this sport – and that I have.”

PATIENCE PAYS OFF

To top it off, David McKinnon rode the most beautiful test in the Freestyle on Forlan and was only 0.2 of a percent behind Mary’s score on 76.485% for this combination’s first CDI Grand Prix Freestyle. The positivity that everyone has gained through watching Forlan being trained in Australia and brought along so slowly to gain confidence is amazing, and to see this result excites every dressage enthusiast in Australia.

On asking Dave about his obvious connection with Forlan and the road to his first CDI with the horse, he was excited to explain. “Allan (Forlan) has been with Robbie and myself over the last two years. He came to our stable with a solid Small Tour test having had good results and success at several competitions,” he says. “All the Grand Prix movements were coming along consistently with good intention, but he just lacked confidence in the concept of piaffe and passage. The thought of this was enough to set his mind into a spin. It was not that he physically could not make it, it was simply that the concept of how to do it was an issue and he simply stopped being realistic.

“It was not about tackling this head-on, but with help from Patrik Kittel and Lyndal Oatley from their stables in Germany through Zoom lessons, we followed their plan to a tee and stuck at it patiently and now he is more confident and so accepting the piaffe and passage and actually is happy to have a go all of his own volition.

“The idea is to always take the pressure away when he approached the steps. It was about him believing in himself, not panicking about the ideas. I knew he was going to get there; it was simply taking the time to allow him to realise it was not hard. There was never any pressure on him when approaching the subject, and when he was making the steps, as modest as they were to start, there was no pressure from me. His reward was being left alone. Short periods of introducing it and then out. Allan is a bit of an over-achiever and tending to be always full-on and then worry himself that he was failing. I have to say we have a real bond now and I trust him, and he really trusts me and that’s a special feeling. Without this you can’t ride Grand Prix.

AUSSIE ROCK FREESTYLE

“The Freestyle was such a buzz for me,” Dave continues. “My Freestyle was produced by Dressage & Music; the music was a compilation of Aussie rock, played and recorded by a live band as they watched a video of the Freestyle.”

“I cannot explain the thrill of putting it all together and also the wonder of realising how horse and rider help each other. ‘I’ll help you and you will help me’ and we managed to do just that! I can honestly say that riding that test was exciting on so many levels.

“The marks were wonderful and it was so good to see reward for good work as so many horses went so well and reaped the benefit of the international ground jury. What happens from day to day and week to week in the coming months will just simply happen and I will enjoy the journey towards riding better and seeing where we end up. I am starting to feel confident now with Allan and we will continue gaining mutual respect for each other and the sport. He is a sensitive, big, athletic horse and we do have a good connection. We just have to keep this and see where we end up as I can now allow him to start to show a little more – but still, less is more for him!” says Dave with a grin and a chuckle.

“I have to say that it’s a team effort and I am just a cog in the wheel, but the lucky cog that seems to get the recognition – well, when all goes to plan! Sometimes I am not the happiest cog when I mess up, but that’s dressage! It is an awesome sport and the behind-the-competition training and all the aspects that go along with the horse to Grand Prix, it is a day-to-day challenge that we all enjoy. Especially to see Allan so confident in his ability. He is proud within himself now, I know it!”

In fourth place was the demure Charlotte Phillips with CP Dresden (aka ‘Des’) scoring 74.860% for a personal best. This bay gelding absolutely danced through the Freestyle with complete ease. The confidence and harmony between these two is so enthusiastic. Unfortunately, a few big mistakes in the one-tempi changes and a trip in the extended trot saw marks below 5 cruel their score in the CDI-W Grand Prix the day prior – but not a mistake in sight for their extremely complicated routine in this Freestyle.

“Des loves the work…” 

“I love to able to show that Des loves the work,” Charlotte enthused after their performance. “I have fun stringing movements together like two tempi changes to ones, to a double canter pirouette and into extended canter. It gets away from the same Grand Prix test he has been doing for a while and he thinks that is a bit ho-hum, yet in the Freestyle it’s as if he says, ‘come look at what we can do!’ I love this horse and he never ever fails to make me smile inside and out with his generosity and joie de vie. To gain a PB at a CDI-W was fantastic, and to get a few scores over 75% made Jane [owner Jane Bruce] and myself humble and proud for the recognition that we have so wished for. It was simply awesome!”

Young Jess Dertell was just lacking a little experience and lightness with Cennin but still came in fifth in this Freestyle on 72.035%. Elliot Patterson on Del Piero ZF was sixth on 70.365%. Elliot made some mistakes in the Grand Prix with his very young horse that shows stacks of potential. When I say young, he’d only done five competitions in his life before competing at this CDI-W, and it was only his second Grand Prix test, so another horse for Australia that looks absolutely outstanding for the future.

GROUNDS FOR OPTIMISM

The Stable Ground Australian Dressage Championships have done more to enthuse dressage people in Australia than any other competition to date. The recognition of good, honest work that is equal to any horses and riders in the world raises the hopes of every person in this sport. It was so good to see big marks being handed out for good work. Brave judging and stepping out of the square, where in the past Australian judges had a tendency to be a little humble in giving marks that reflected our level and standard.

At last, the sport is being recognised for the work that has been put in from the grass roots up. Let’s hope that this attitude has opened the door for judges and the wider dressage community to realise that our horses are good enough. Our riders are good enough. The coaching system here in Australia is good enough. It’s an exciting step forward for our sport and for sure it will enthuse the hearts of so many.

With FEI MERs been handed to several horses at this event, and horses overseas with Simone Pearce, Lyndal Oatley, Kristy Oatley, Will Matthews, Warwick McLean and more, our team for the Paris Olympics is looking really exciting. A page has turned and a new chapter has opened in the sport of dressage in Australia. Despite the fact that we don’t have many people at the top of the sport, the general feeling is that dressage in Australia has reached an all-time high and that is so enthusiastic and so positive. EQ

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